FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE

In a letter to his colleagues from California in the House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. John Campbell (R-Newport Beach) Wednesday warned against a Democrat-backed health-care reform bill in the Senate that could cost the state as much as $3 billion to $4 billion a year, according to the governor’s office. “Costs from this bill will begin to impact the state general fund starting in 2012 and will reach $3.2 billion per year upon full implementation of the bill in 2018,” Campbell wrote.

Editor?s note: The following is the first of two parts on Chuck Cassity?s predictions for 2010. Here are my New Year?s predictions: 1. Having started every speech, e-mail, and Op-Ed piece, and Facebook and Twitter posting with the phrase, ?My Friends,? John McCain, upon discovering that he has no friends, will make the solemn New Year?s resolution to never use that salutation again. 2. The new health-care-reform legislation finally passes both houses of Congress in late February.

Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Jim Fisler has resigned his seat on the commission to join the Mesa Consolidated Water District Board of Directors. He will replace former board member Paul Shoenberger, who resigned his post to become the district’s general manager. Fisler, a Realtor by trade, will attend his first water board meeting Sept. 8. Meanwhile, the city will have to replace him on the Planning Commission. Fisler was first appointed to the Planning Commission by the City Council in 2004 after serving two years on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Costa Mesa resident Peggy Parsons can’t wait to drive a car again, watch a movie, or see her 17-year-old son perform in a school play. Newport Beach eye surgeon Gregg Feinerman operated on Parsons free of charge Tuesday, removing a cataract from her right eye. The surgery will allow 62-year-old Parsons to see clearly for the first time in several years. Vision in Parsons’ left eye has been impaired since she was a child, but she has steadily relied more on her weaker left eye since being diagnosed with a cataract in the right one two years ago. “I can’t wait to see Christmas lights,” Parsons said Tuesday morning, clad in surgical scrubs as she sat on an operating table at a Newport Beach clinic before the operation.

We pride ourselves on being a democracy second to none, a shining light for the rest of the world to emulate. The Greatest Generation fought a long and bloody war a continent away to safeguard democracy in Europe. We are currently fighting two prolonged, costly wars, ostensibly to bring democracy to another distant part of our globe — the Middle East. Some are even rattling their sabers to start a third war. And then there is the current reality. Forty-six million Americans have no health insurance, and their rolls are increasing each day. Those lucky enough to have insurance pay ever-increasing premiums and co-pays, for progressively diminishing coverage, if they are lucky enough to stay employed.